Mitchell Pearce and Todd Carney had the Roosters in the game but old foe St George Illawarra was just too good in their annual Anzac Day clash at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The traditional rivals made no bones about their feelings for each other, with two scuffles sullying a passionate and hard-hitting affair in which St George came out 28-6 victors.

Beau Scott was penalised for forcing his fist into Jared Waerea-Hargreaves' face when the Roosters reserve was buried in a tackle, sparking first half fisticuffs.

But from the break onwards it was the Dragons' game for the taking despite a massive workload shouldered by Nate Myles, who racked up 35 tackles, 15 hit-ups and 149 metres gained.

Ben Creagh and Luke Priddis put in solid performances for the Dragons, who played a more driving brand of footy in the second half.

Darius Boyd said the efforts of his big men were priceless in the win.

"The first half we weren't at our best but the second half we came over the top and went on with the job and got the two points," he told Grandstand.

"I've just been working on my game a fair bit, it helps when the forwards go forward and everyone gels - it makes my job a lot easier.

"They're great every week, their defence is unbelievable and it's a great team to be a part of."

The Dragons came out firing and while several decisions went against the tri-colours, the Dragons played the type of outstanding defensive rugby league that has them topping the table after seven rounds.

The Roosters' desperation was never more obvious than when Shaun Kenny-Dowall gifted the Dragons a penalty try with six minutes to go.

Kenny-Dowall held Matt Cooper back without the ball when the St George centre was chasing a loose ball he would surely have grounded for his second four-pointer.

Monumental occasion

Cooper told Grandstand the intensity of the clash felt like representative football.

"I was just saying to [Anthony Minichiello] that it was up there, that first five to 10 minutes was pretty tough and intense, it had an Origin feel about it," he said.

"A big crowd here, 36,000, [it was a] great atmosphere and a great day."

He said the Anzac Day clash is a monumental occasion for all the players involved.

"Every Australian feels very proud to be an Australian," he said.

"The Anzacs did a great job for our freedom and it's just a great honour to be playing on such a great day for Australia."

Trent Merrin showed guts under fire to open the scoring in the second half, burrowing under three Roosters defenders to edge the ball over the line.

In a tightly-contested opening 40 minutes that was nothing like the corresponding match-up last year, Sydney matched the Dragons in attack and defence and battled to a 6-4 half-time lead.

Carney was seemingly omnipresent in the first half and he controlled much of the Roosters' offensive movement, combining with Pearce for a total 12 kicks in play.

Boyd was ruled to have been held up in an early try attempt after the video referee could not get a good angle on the play, but it was not long before Josh Morris did what he has done all season and crossed for the Dragons' first points.

Carney's earlier penalty goal meant the Roosters remained just two points behind until the stroke of half-time, when Mitch Aubusson leapt athletically onto a tap-back off a Pearce grubber kick to plant the ball before diving into touch.